[sb118-constitution] Ensign Telazeraa Zh'raalil - Always the problem with heat

[Telazeraa Zh'raalil]

(( Engineering ))

Zeraa had been invited by Kapoor to assist in the construction of a mobile tractor beam. Now she was in Engineering discussing the prototype with Ensign Perax and Kapoor.

Kapoor: You are right. Not only are the things we lift different weights and need different weight distribution but it has to be steady, especially in case of volatile materials.

Perax: We can place a dial that can scale up and down the output and add a button to lock the setting for the times when you don’t want to accidentally bump the dial.

Zh'raalil: That would be a good option. Just imagine you bump the dial ans suddenly the cargo ends up flying up dwo decks ::she grinns at the though::

Kapoor: How fast can we make the engagement of the beam? Just in case it does lose its grip it would be good to have a fast re-engagement to catch it. If that is not possible however we just know to possibly not carry explosives with it until we know it to be stable.

Perax: Well, there are a couple options with that. Manually, re-engaging the beam would take about twenty to forty seconds depending on the person’s reflexes and aiming accuracy. It would be even longer if the user grabs the wrong object. We could set up an automatic target reacquisition, but we would need to add a basic sensor scan and object identification function. It’s more complicated than the simple label reader that is in most of the inventory scanners, but it would get re-engagement down to ten to fifteen seconds, maybe twenty seconds if the user reaction is slow.

Zh'raalil: You already thought that through quite a bit.

Perax: Now, we have to deal with Physics. In keeping with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, we are going to lose some energy as heat. Given the amount of energy we are probably going to use, I think this portable tractor beam will produce considerable heat. We might be able to recapture some and try to make it perform work, but we need to also bleed heat away from the device without burning or making the user uncomfortable.

Overheating was a problem most devices had to deal with, Zeraa new that all to well from the small pet projects she had worked on.

Kapoor: Is there a way to use that heat as energy to go back into the beam? You know rerouting it back into the circulation.

Zh’raalil: It is possible yes. But on the other hand it would add another quit complex part to the device and the calculation for the power generation would need to be precises if the energy comes from two different sources.

Perax: Feeding the excess heat into the tractor beam would get it away from the user, but would that have an adverse effect on the more perishable or volatile cargo that the beam is moving?

Kapoor: Would it?

Zh’raalil: ::she looks at Kapoor with a thoughtful expression:: That is a good question, I would say it depends on the cargo. Maybe we should test is with a simulation once we have all the date on what we want to do exactly.

Perax: We could, um, uh, lower the temperature of the work area when they are in use too. With many of these being used simultaneously, that would keep the room from becoming a sauna.

Kapoor: Most of the time one person works alone or two max. The times that we have several people in there are not the norm, usually after taking on new cargo only between missions.

Zh’raalil: But still lowering the environmental temperature would help keep the device cool for longer. But with the downside of the person working there possibly feeling uncomfortable when the device isn't generating heat.

/Perax: response

Kapoor: Would building in a thermal regulation system make the tool too big?

Zh’raalil: I would say it depends on what is considered to big and what exactly the system should do you wan't to implement.

/Perax: response

Kapoor: Now I only have basic knowledge in engineering but the warp core gets incredibly hot with the matter/antimatter reactions and we have a highly sophisticated thermal regulation system to keep it cool, so we can get even close. If something of that size can do it in a way that we can work near the warpcore without thinking we are on a tropical planet, it should be possible for a handheld device. Any other device must have something like that as well, this just uses more power so the thermal system needs to be more efficient? Am I completely off with that assumption?

Zh'raalil: No no, you have a point. There are thermal systems that could regulate that, but as you mentioned before size is a factor. The warpcore is big and the thermal regulation system just as much, and they aren't singular systems either. Perax what are your thoughts on that?

Perax: Response

Kapoor: Response:

The Andorian grabs her PADD and opens up the page detailing the ships warpcore and thermal regulation system. She takes a moment to take a look at it before she puts it on the table for the others to see.

Zh'raalil: The thermal regulation system is integrated with the other ship systems in engineering, not just the warpcore. But if we could isolate just the most basic parts of it for our handheld device it could work. Maybe.

Perax/Kapoor: Resonse

Zh'raalil: I do admit that I'm better at fixing engineering problems than at inventing entirely new devices. Even if this project is about making a smaller version of something existing. But then you never get better if you don't try it, or something like that. ::she chuckles::

Perax/Kapoor: Resonse

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Ensine Telazeraa Zh'raalil
HCO Officer
USS Constitution 

C240207TZ1